When I think of bridesmaid dresses, my mind used to jump straight to 27 Dresses and Katherine Heigl’s infamous try-on montage—each gown more questionable than the last. For years, bridesmaid dressing felt like a rite of passage in aesthetic compromise, somewhere between obligation and mild humiliation. Thankfully, that era seems to be fading fast.
Today, bridesmaid dresses are no longer an afterthought—they’re becoming the moment. Chic, thoughtfully designed styles have transformed them into a true extension of the wedding aesthetic and, in some cases, the most stylish part of the bridal party. Inclusive, minority women-owned brands are helping lead that shift.
Enter Birdy Grey.
Founded in 2017 by best friends Grace Lee Chen and Monica Ashauer, Birdy Grey aims to challenge long-standing norms around who gets to feel celebrated in bridal fashion. “From day one at Birdy Grey, it was important to me that everyone in the bridal party feels represented and can find something that makes them feel confident and beautiful,” says Chen over email.
Birdy Grey offers modern, minimal, sexy, romantic, covered-up, and maternity-friendly styles in a size-inclusive line of dresses and suits up to size 3X. As Chen explains, “We learned early on that if you don’t have options for everyone, you risk losing the entire bridal party — so inclusivity has always been core to our design philosophy.”
The brand is equally intentional about representation in its imagery. Visit the Birdy Grey website, and you’ll see every dress photographed on both straight-size and plus-size models, showcasing a wide range of ethnicities and body types. Both Chen and her co-founder are children of immigrants, and that perspective has shaped their ethos for Birdy Grey. Chen says, “As an Asian-American founder, it’s especially important to me that people feel seen when they come to our site and can envision themselves being part of the celebration.”
Inclusivity is often used as a buzzword in fashion, but Chen wants it to mean more than that. “To me, meaningful inclusion has to go beyond marketing — it has to start with the product itself,” says Chen.
Far too often, extended sizes are treated as an afterthought, so Chen and her team focus on fit. All Birdy Grey dresses are fitted on both straight-size and plus-size fit models to ensure the cut works across body types, whether you’re wearing an XS or a 3X. “It’s not just a grading exercise; it’s significantly more work, but we believe everyone deserves to feel confident and comfortable in what they wear,” shares Chen.
The result is a collection of dresses that feel chic and incredibly wearable. Think a sleek ’90s-inspired slip dress with cascading rosettes down the back, a floor-length red-carpet-worthy gown with a sultry on-trend corset bodice, fashion-forward asymmetrical styles, and backless satin gowns worthy of a 1930s Hollywood starlet.
Gone are the matchy-matchy looks of the past. Birdy Grey honours individuality and diversity across body types, gender expression, cultural backgrounds, and relationship structures while still creating a cohesive bridal party look. Chen says, “We design around strong colour stories and consistent fabrics so a bridal party still feels unified, while offering a wide range of silhouettes, coverage levels, and fits so each person can choose what works for their body type, style, and level of comfort.”
The collection is designed to be mixed and matched, with coordinating fabrics and colours. “The goal isn’t for everyone to look the same — it’s for everyone to feel like themselves within a shared look,” says Chen. Brides can also order fabric swatch bundles put together by the team to create a multi-tonal look.
“At the end of the day, weddings should feel joyful and inclusive, and we want everyone to be able to see themselves as part of the celebration,” says Chen.
